1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a toner for developing an electrostatic charge image and a method of producing the same, a developer for electrostatic charge image development, a toner cartridge, a process cartridge, and an image forming device.
2. Related Art
Methods by means of which an electrostatic latent image is formed, the electrostatic latent image is developed, and image information is thereby visualized, such as an electrophotographic method, are currently in use in various fields. In such methods, an image is formed in such a manner that an entire surface of a photoreceptor is charged, the photoreceptor surface is exposed to laser light in accordance with image information to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, the electrostatic latent image is developed with a developer containing toner to form a toner image, and finally the toner image is transferred and fixed on a surface of a recording medium.
Recently, with the further development of the pronounced information orientation of society, images obtained by various methods are required to provide as more high-quality images. Accordingly, in various image formation methods, research regarding higher quality images is underway. In an electrophotographic method, in particular, high function toner having a smaller particle diameter and a narrower particle size distribution is sought in order to realize higher definition images.
Furthermore, in recent years, with respect to the electrophotographic method as well as to other methods, demands for energy saving are ever increasing. Accordingly, in copy machines and printers, for example, in order to reduce the amount of energy used, a technology for fixing toner at lower energy and toner that can be fixed at a lower temperature is in high demand.
As a method of lowering a fixing temperature of toner, for instance, a technology is known in which the glass transition temperature of a resin (binder resin) included in the toner is lowered.
Further, in addition to improved toner fixability, it is also required that blocking of toner powder, and image defects such as white stripes, trickle-down, and toner spillage stripes that are caused by the blocking, are suppressed. Accordingly, a binder resin having a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or more is used in existing toners.